''Several states are in the grip of terrorism and naxalism. The latter menace is affecting 14 states,'' he claimed while addressing the inaugural session of the SP's three-day national convention at the Pandit Ravishankar Shukla Stadium here.

Alleging that the UPA's foreign policy was unsuccessful, Mr Yadav added that the government buckled under United States' pressure vis-a-vis the 123 Indo-US Nuclear Agreement.

''The UPA regime's foreign, economic and trade policies were drafted under pressure from foreign companies. The Union Budget's debt-waiver for farmers is useless as most peasants are vexed over borrowing from non-institutional sources and that is leading to suicides,'' he said.

Claiming that the SP-supported United National Progressive Alliance was endeavouring to change India's political system, Mr Yadav issued a clarion call to SP workers to gird up their loins for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections scheduled this year.

''My party is supporting independent candidate Vivek Krishna Tankha in the Rajya Sabha polls in this state to keep communal forces at bay,'' he claimed.